


Bros on the Road

by Ariels_Lament



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: But I'm trying to balance Iggy and Gladio better as well, Gen, Humor (hopefully), I am incapable of writing serious things :/, It's mostly Noct and Prompto, Prompto's crush is the cutest thing ever
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-12 17:11:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10495695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ariels_Lament/pseuds/Ariels_Lament
Summary: Just a bunch of random snippets wherein the guys do what they do best. Mainly they give each other crap. Because that's how they best show their love.





	1. Target Practice

**Author's Note:**

> I have long since accepted the fact that I am not capable of writing a novelization, but I took a bunch of notes while I was playing the game anyways and finally got around to doing something with them.

Prompto stares, because he really doesn't think Noct has thought this one through. He's just standing there, arms crossed and brow quirked looking for all the world as though _Prompto_ is the one being unreasonable, here. Which for once he really isn't. He opens his mouth and lets it hang that way for a moment before it falls back closed. Noct just rolls his eyes at the display. So he tries again.

"You want me to shoot you." It's a question, but at the same time it isn't.

"At me," Noct corrects, and he almost looks pleased. Like he thinks they're finally getting somewhere.

"With a gun," Prompto tries again, enunciating slowly, because he still isn't sure Noct understands what it is he's saying. But the prince just bobs his head as though asking a friend to attempt to murder him is an everyday kind of deal. Which...is probably actually the case now that he thinks about it.

He shuffles his feet and sneaks a sidelong glance to where Ignis and Gladio are seated in their camping chairs, both looking thoroughly amused. And yeah, the blond knows that Noct has been training to be a badass warrior prince since he was a kid while he himself only has about twelve hours of self defense training and less than a handful of skirmishes with a few wild beasts under his belt, but it's not something he's ever actually seen before the last couple of days, and he's still trying to get a handle on this whole fighting and sparring thing. And, you know. The fact that his best friend is, indeed, kind of a badass warrior prince.

"Yup," Noct says. He sounds _really_ sure of himself, too, so now Prompto thinks that maybe he's the one misunderstanding the whole scenario. He frowns.

"Okay. So...okay." He rests a hand on his hip and lets the other clench and unclench at his side. "So, just to be clear, here—" and he can see the repressed groan in the way Noct's shoulders slump and his features turn skyward "—you want me to send a bullet hurling _hundreds of miles an hour_ in _your direction._ "

"Pretty much."

" _Hundreds of miles an hour, Noct!_ " He flails his arms just to make sure he draws the proper amount of attention to the words. It's kind of an important piece of info. Especially when it's _hundreds of miles an hour_ from the distance of maybe thirty feet.

"Yeah, I know how it works," Noct says, his previous patient tone replaced with irritation.

"So you also realize that I have absolutely _no_ control over it after it fires, right?" Prompto knows that Noct isn't stupid, but he has to make sure he's thought of it from every angle. Because he's seen it happen over the last couple of nights and mornings.

It hadn't happened often, but every now and then Prompto had _seen_ it. That very last moment where Gladio or Ignis had realized that Noct wouldn't be able to block or dodge in time, the subtle shift of their stances that either brought the weapons within range of Noct's parry or away from him completely. Prompto won't be able to do that. And he really wouldn't be able to handle being the cause of his best friend's demise. He just wants to see Noct get married and for him to be happy and hopefully still have a place in his life for his old high school pal when it's all said and done. That's all. He doesn't think he's asking for too much.

"I'm aware."

Noct's voice pulls him out of his rambling thoughts, but the words are far from enough to console him.

"And by absolutely _no_ control, I mean that—"

"Oh, for gods' sakes, Prompto, I get it! Just shoot the damn gun!" And with that, Noct stalks up to him, summons said weapon in a gleaming shower of magic sparkles that still manages to distract Prompto every single time, and presses it into the blond's chest. "Leave the dodging to me," the brunet says. Then he marches off to the other side of the haven, leaving Prompto to fumble his hands around the gun before it falls to the ground.

"B-But! What if I actually hit you!?"

Noct stops, and Prompto thinks, _finally!_ _Finally_ , his friend is listening and seeing reason and realizing that this is a _very_ _bad_ _idea_. But when the prince turns to look at him, he's got a smirk on his face and a taunt on his lips. "As if you could."

That actually causes Prompto to straighten a little bit, because his initials are in the first slot of every shoot 'em up the arcade back home has to offer. And no one's even come close to touching him! He presses his lips together, though, because he knows if he says that all out loud, Noct'll just challenge him again, and Prompto will suddenly become a willing participant. And he _cannot become a willing participant._

Eventually, though, Noct's smirk fades away. "It'll be fine, Prompto. You're not gonna hit me. Besides, it'll be good practice for the both of us."

Prompto stares mournfully down at the hunk of metal in his hands. Noct doesn't understand. The last five years have been the happiest of his life, and there's a very large, anxious part of him just waiting for it all to fall apart. This right here seems like an appropriately terrible way for it to decide to fall apart.

"Aw, man," he whines, carding one hand through his hair and tapping the pistol against his thigh with the other. "Are you really asking me to do this? What am I supposed to do when 'killed the Crown Prince of Lucis' pops up on my background check, huh?"

"Consider yourself pardoned if you do. Now stop being a baby about it and shoot."

Prompto huffs. Irritated, he looks over to the pair of travel mates who also seem painfully unconcerned with his dilemma. "You two heard it, right? If I accidentally kill him, I don't get locked up for life."

Gladio smirks and says, "That's a pretty big 'if',if I ever heard one."

"Don't worry," Ignis assures him, and though his smile is somewhat more genuine than Gladio's, his voice still holds that same teasing note. "I shall relay his Highness' final wish to the king myself shall he fall at your hands."

"Gee, thanks," Prompto deadpans, and his eyes seek out Noct's from across the haven.

"Whenever you're ready," Noct says, his sword drawn. "Surprise me."

Prompto's still bouncing the barrel of his gun against his thigh and debating the wisdom of this idea when he gives up and sighs. Surely, if none of the three of them are even the slightest bit worried then there's no reason for him to be, right?

"Right..." It's just as much an answer to himself as it is an affirmation for Noct.

So Prompto shuffles his feet a bit more and tries to gear himself up for his first ever round of target practice with Noct.

 


	2. Artist's Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto made a suggestion. Noct is far from pleased.

Noct freezes. There is absolutely no way in hell that Prompto just suggested what he thinks he just suggested. And if he did...

But the bawdy leer taking up residence on his friend's face tells him otherwise. Noctis immediately feels the blood rushing to his cheeks, whether from embarrassment or anger, he isn't quite sure—both probably—and his hands ball into fists at his side. He glowers at Prompto and growls out, "Don't. Even. _Think_ about it."

But rather than react appropriately to the prince's warning, Prompto laughs, short and loud, and throws an arm around his shoulder, tugging him further away from the crumbling fishing dock that had served as their photo shoot's venue. While Prompto's expression has gone from suggestive to amused in the blink of an eye, Noct's own is still pinched together in displeasure at the completely uncalled for proposal.

"Oh, come on, Noct!" Prompto chirps, pulling the brunet closer to his side. "You can trust me! _I_ have an artist's eye."

He says it so boastfully, like he really, truly believes it to be true, and it nearly makes Noct scoff. "I've noticed," he offers back dryly. "I see your _artist's eye_ at work every time we go to Hammerhead."

And the tables turn when Prompto pulls away, spluttering, leaving Noct to smirk at his embarrassment.

"T-That's different!" Prompto defends. He fiddles with his camera in the way he does when he's nervous or bored or otherwise doesn't know what to do with himself. After a long pause, he manages to look back up from the screen. Then with a helpless shrug, he fixes Noctis with a sheepish smile. "It's not _my_ fault Cindy's so look-at-able."

Noct wants to remind Prompto of the number of times he's had to nudge the blond back to reality when his gaze had lingered on their mechanic for too long, if only to keep all attention diverted from himself and Luna, but he stops short. He crosses his arms over his chest and pins Prompto with an expectant look. "Oh? And Luna?"

At first, Prompto's eyes are disbelieving. Soon enough, though, he chuckles. " _Also_ very pretty," he assures Noct. "Double also? Very much off limits."

"Damn right," Noctis huffs, attempting to reinforce his words with another warning glare. "And don't forget it."

Rather than cowing his friend, however, it seems to only spur him on. "Oooh, aggressive! _Po_ ssessive! I likes!" The camera goes off in Noct's face, causing the furrow in his brow to deepen, but Prompto is too busy checking over his latest shot to notice. He taps the screen before grinning up at the prince. "And so will the _looove_ ly Lady Luna. Heh. I'll have to add this in somewhere as 'the look Noct gave me when I said you were pretty.'"

"Except that's not what happened."

"Whatever, bro. My scrapbook, my word. I'm sure she knows not to believe anything you'd say about it, anyways." With that, Prompto begins trekking back up to the haven.

Noctis drops his arms, following suite. "And that's supposed to mean what, exactly?"

"It _means_ that even if it was true, you'd try to deny it."

"Hmph," is all the prince says in return. He'd deny it, but he feels that it would only prove the blond's point.

"Besides," and Prompto punctuates the word by shoving his shoulder into Noctis', "you gotta admit it's a lot more romantic than 'the look Noct gave me when I offered to take sexy pics of you for him.' With that look on your face? Come on, man. She'll feel like you don't even want her."

Noct shakes his head. He has absolutely no idea where his friend gets this stuff, but he finds himself indulging Prompto anyways. "Yeah. I'm sure _that's_ what she'd be worried about."

"Ah, well," Prompto sighs, stretching out his arms before resting them behind his head. He turns his face to Noct and beams. "You know where to find me if you change your mind."

"Oh, don't worry. I won't."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompto's little artist's eye line hit me, along with Noct's teasing about Cindy. And it just so happens there's a place in game that would fit.
> 
> In my head, Prompto's been working on this gift for Luna since before they left Insomnia.


	3. Making Pun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignis has a bad time. Prompto makes pun of him.

"Well," Noctis pants, his blade dispersing in an explosion of blue tinged sparks. He leans forward to brace his hands on his knees. "I guess that's that."

He can hear the others attempting to catch their own breaths somewhere off behind him, and Prompto's voice even manages to force out a, "Gods, I hope so. I don't think I can do this again without like a snack break or something."

"Suck it up, cupcake," Gladio says, and it sounds like his breathing has returned to normal, at least. "It builds character."

"Nah," the blond dismisses after a few more gasping breaths. "I think I'm good. What about you, Noct?"

"More than enough character over here, thanks," Noct replies, and when Gladio snorts, the prince turns his head around so he can fix his shield with a piercing glare. As expected, it does absolutely nothing to quell the older man's smirk and, in fact, only seems to cause it to spread even wider. It's so infuriating that Noctis decides to ignore him in favor of checking on the others.

Prompto's a bit further off behind him, not too far from Gladio's right side, and looks to be in much the same state as Noctis. His head is very nearly resting against his knees as he heaves as much air through his lungs as he can, but he's upright and seems to be otherwise fine, so Noct let's his gaze move on.

But beyond Prompto, there's nothing more than grass interspersed with bushes and saplings and the occasional boulder. With that observation, Noct straightens, his exhaustion pushed aside to make way for concern. He opens his mouth to call out for Ignis, but Gladio beats him to it.

"You doin' okay over there, Iggy?"

Noct whirls to his other side and lets out a relieved breath at the sight of his advisor standing several yards away. Fidgeting. The prince tilts his head ever so slightly.

"Fine, thanks," Ignis answers at last, the words clipped and stiff as he continues to stand, head bowed, looking as though he's scanning the ground around him for something.

"You sure?" Noct asks. He takes a step toward the older man to help him but doesn't get very far.

"Stop!" Ignis cries out, outstretching his arms in a way that only emphasizes his command. "Nobody move!"

Eyes wide at the unexpected outburst, Noct does as he's told for once. Arguing never even crosses his mind, because Ignis never _cries out_ except in the most dire of circumstances. He can only think the worst as the strategist continues to study the ground nearby. "Specs?" He says nervously, hoping for some sort of explanation.

"Yeah, man," Prompto pipes up, sounding equally worried. "Don't just leave us hanging. What's going on?"

"Everything is fine," Ignis says in a way that doesn't really sound all that fine to Noctis. "Everything is completely under control. Just whatever you do, don't. Bloody. Move."

Noct shares a troubled look with Prompto, and the blond starts twitching his fist against his thigh. When he looks over to Gladio, though, the man's arms are crossed over his chest, an amused grin on his face. Then he laughs, loud and long and deep. Confused, Noct turns his gaze back over to Ignis, whose head is no longer bowed down as he casts an offended look the shield's way.

"Ah," he says now that he understands what's going on, and when Prompto's laughter joins the mix, Noct can't help but to chuckle some himself. "You could have just said you lost your glasses. You had me scared that the ground was going to blow up or something."

"Yeah," Prompto adds, doubled over once more. "You didn't...you d-didn't...h-have to..." but he can't keep from laughing long enough to get his words out. "...to make a...a...a _spectacle_ of yourself!"

Noct tries and fails to keep the amusement from his voice when he tells his friend, "That was stupid." But the terrible pun combined with Ignis' affronted frown just makes the entire situation so much _funnier_ than it really should be, and before he knows it, he's doubled over again, too.

"It isn't funny," Ignis huffs, and Noct just barely catches the words over his and Prompto's laughter.

Gladio, who seems to have recovered from his own laughing fit says, "It's pretty funny."

It takes Noct a few moments to realize it when Prompto's laughter comes to a sudden halt, but once he's finally able to stem his own and breathe again, he glances up to see a look of utter dread pasted on the blond's face. He stands stock still, and Noct watches him, curious. Then, slowly, he twists one boot into the ground, eyes closing and lips pulling into a grimace at the result. Fuuuuuuuuuck, the brunet sees him mouth, and suddenly he feels a pang of sympathy for his friend, because Ignis is going to be very, _very_ unhappy with this news.

"Sooooooo," Prompto finally says in a chirpy tone that doesn't quite match the expression on his face. "Good and bad news, fellas!"

"Hmph, what's the bad news?" Gladio asks, causing the blond to falter.

"The _good_ news," he says, instead, "is that I've found Specs' specs."

"And...the bad news?" But Noct can tell by resigned note in his voice that Ignis knows exactly what the blond is going to tell him.

"Eheh...yeah, about that..." And then Prompto lifts the foot Noctis had seen him dig into the ground earlier and pulls up a set of mangled metal frames and fractured glass. He grasps them in both hands, holding them in front of his face as though they can protect him from whatever shit storm he's landed himself into this time. "In my defense," he squeaks out, eyeing their owner with no small amount of trepidation, "I haven't moved since you told us not to. So let's just, you know...turn a blind eye to all of, you know... _this._ "

Ignis stands with his eyes closed, one hand on his hip and the other pinching the bridge of his nose. His mouth is pressed into an unreadable line, and it's a look Noct knows all too well, having been the cause of it numerous times himself. After a few steadying breaths, the older brunet relaxes somewhat and makes his way over to a cowering Prompto. He doesn't say a word when he swipes the ruined frames from their youngest member's grasp, just heads back off in the direction of the Regalia, posture stiff.

Noct lets him trail ahead a few paces before feeling it safe to follow after him, and soon enough Prompto is at his side, their shoulders bumping together.

"You know. He really should look into contacts," Prompto says, voice low. "Nothing bad like that ever happens to me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Prompto...if you only knew. ;P


End file.
